Rooted Evil (part 1 of a series)
by Justright
Summary: Can you ever trust a demon completely?


Rooted Evil  
  
  
  
Phoebe is relaxing in the living room, reading a novel in her sweats. This has been a quiet week with not a demon in sight. Although this makes her somewhat uncomfortable, considering what they all know awaits them in the near future, she just chose to forget about it for one blissful night.  
  
Leo comes in, carrying a tray of munchies:  
  
"Hey Phoebe! You hungry? And Phoebe? I couldn't help noticing how relaxed you've been lately. That makes for a nice change."  
  
Phoebe smiles:  
  
"Well, if those demons give me a few more days of break, I'm finally gonna get back on top."  
  
Leo, sweetly:  
  
"And it doesn't hurt that your Cole thing seems to be going so well now, does it?"  
  
"I won't lie to you. At first it was difficult to trust that he had changed, but now, I feel that we've reached a good place in our relationship.  
  
I'm truly happy Leo. I just wish that you'd all believe in him by now."  
  
A cloud passes over Leo's expression:  
  
"You know, I'm ready to give him the benefit of the doubt Pheebs. But there's still a way to go till I'd actually consider him as a friend or something. Time will tell, won't it?"  
  
Phoebe is a bit disappointed:  
  
"I guess I should be grateful that you're all trying for me. I'm sure he'll prove it to you in time."  
  
Leo, conciliatory:  
  
"I'm sure he will as well. So? How about those munchies?"  
  
"You know that I never refuse a snack," she says more joyously. No more depressing thoughts tonight."  
  
"Speaking of the…, where is he?"  
  
"Oh I needed some relaxing before studying for my last exams, so we decided to take a break tonight. I know that Piper and Prue have been a bit put off that he spends so much time here. So…"  
  
"That's all right, I get it."  
  
"You know, it's strange, before he came back, I'd finally accepted that he wouldn't be part of my life anymore. I'd even managed to convince myself that I was over him. But now, I can't even believe I ever felt that way."  
  
Leo just smiles and leaves the platter on the coffee table.  
  
"I'll leave you to your book now… good night!"  
  
Phoebe puts what looks like a potato chip in her mouth, but grimaces right away:  
  
"Leo," she calls him back.  
  
He turns back toward her:  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you prepare this plate?"  
  
"No Piper did, why?"  
  
"They're stale. And the rest of the food all seems spoiled, now that I look at it."  
  
Leo seems puzzled:  
  
"I don't understand… it all looked fine while Piper was preparing it."  
  
"I guess you were both distracted," Phoebe replies with a little laugh.  
  
Leo's face takes a crimson coloring and he utters a nervous laugh.  
  
"I guess… Let me take this back. I'm sorry about that."  
  
"It's ok, it doesn't matter, I should watch my figures anyway," she adds, without reproach.  
  
She then dismisses the incident and returns to her reading, while Leo picks up the platter.  
  
In another part of town:  
  
Cole shimmers in, out of breath and he looks around as if expecting to be hit at any moment. When nothing happens, he begins to relax, but just then, the telltale lighting of a coming Zoltar becomes visible. The moment he sees Cole, the Zoltar smiles cruelly and tries to zap him. He misses by very little, but this time Cole dodges the lightning bolt and doesn't shimmer out. Instead, he calls to the Zoltar:  
  
"Hey, wait a minute. I let you find me for a reason."  
  
The Zoltar, perplex, hesitates but stays ready to strike.  
  
"And why would that be?"  
  
"I need to talk to the Source. I think I got something that might interest him."  
  
The Zoltar laughs out loud:  
  
"I don't know what you're on, Belthazor, but all the Source wants is to see you as a pile of dust."  
  
"Maybe so, but if you kill me and they learn that I found the way to kill the Charmed Ones, how much do you think your life will be worth?"  
  
The Zoltar becomes suspicious:  
  
"What is that? Finally got over your obsession with the witch?"  
  
Cole pursues with a cruel smile:  
  
"Who said I ever cared for any of them? They were gonna kill me before I finished the job. I couldn't return empty handed, now could I?"  
  
Vaguely interested the Zoltar questions:  
  
"And what would I get out of it?"  
  
"I suppose that delivering me to him would already warrant you some reward. And if I succeed, as I'm sure now that I will, you're gonna get some of the credit for it. Not bad, just for being the messenger."  
  
"So you're ready to come right now?"  
  
"Not a chance!" Cole exclaims. "I want some assurances that I'll have time to say my piece before he torches me. I need for you to kind of negotiate a truce."  
  
"And you think he's going to accept, just like that?"  
  
"I played my cards so well that I could now go in and out of the mansion without any suspicion on their part."  
  
"I'll need some proof of that. The source won't be too eager to trust you again."  
  
Cole pulls a piece of parchment from his pocket at this point:  
  
"How about a page of the book?"  
  
Seeing this, the Zoltar swallows hard and comes closer.  
  
"How did you get this?"  
  
"I told you, they trust me. That much… Give this to the source and I think that he just might wanna listen."  
  
The Zoltar grabs the parchment and steps back in a hurry, still wary of Cole.  
  
"And where will I find you to give you the answer?"  
  
"Meet me right here tomorrow night."  
  
At this the Zoltar leaves in a flash of light without another word.  
  
Cole watches the spot the Zoltar just vacated, and on his lips a mysterious smile forms.  
  
The next morning:  
  
Piper is preparing breakfast, but the moment she breaks an egg, the powerful smell of rotten food makes her gag.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
Phoebe enters at this moment and grimaces in turn.  
  
"What's that smell?"  
  
Piper answers irritably:  
  
"The eggs, they're rotten. I don't know how that's possible. I just bought them yesterday. That's the third thing I found spoiled this morning."  
  
"Did you start shopping at a left over market?"  
  
Piper turns angrily toward her:  
  
"Phoebe! I know that this food was fine when I bought it. At least, most of it…"  
  
"Just like the potato chips from last night. They tasted awful."  
  
Perplexed, the two sisters stare at each other.  
  
"Are we under attack from a food rotting demon now?" Phoebe states, while uttering a half hearted laughter.  
  
"Yeah that's it! They couldn't kill us the normal way, so now they're trying to poison us."  
  
Phoebe becomes more serious:  
  
"I don't think we're facing a demon here. Just a very negligent market owner."  
  
"I'm certainly gonna give him my two cents."  
  
Prue enters in turn, and has the same reaction as the other two.  
  
"What the?"  
  
Piper:  
  
"Don't ask! Why don't we scrap the homemade food this morning and go out?"  
  
"Good idea." Prue says with a grimace.  
  
"I would, but Cole is supposed to come early this morning. I'll grab a bite at school later, instead." Phoebe tells them.  
  
"Suit yourself," Piper replies, "I'll pick up this crap afterward. Prue, you coming?"  
  
"Right behind you."  
  
They say goodbye and leave.  
  
At the front door, they open to see Cole about to ring the bell.  
  
He looks at them in apparent puzzlement:  
  
"I thought it was Phoebe who had premonitions?"  
  
The other two are not all that amused but they let him in, and leave themselves out.  
  
Cole watches them going with a frown, and then he calls:  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
She immediately comes out of the kitchen, greeting him with a smile and a kiss.  
  
"How are you this morning," Phoebe then says sweetly. "I missed you last night."  
  
"So did I. I couldn't wait to get here." He wraps his arms around her and kisses her more.  
  
"So, what are your plans for today?"  
  
"Well I still have some classes to attend, but I thought we could do something tonight."  
  
"Funny you say that. I just had something special in mind. I was just not sure if you'd like it though."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well there is this place I wanted to show you…but it's not around here…"  
  
"I don't follow you."  
  
"I mean, would you mind a little magic for just one night? There's this place, it's absolutely gorgeous, and I really would like to share it with you. But it's on another plane."  
  
Phoebe is a bit put off:  
  
"Cole! You promised…"  
  
"Just for a little visit…nothing demonic to this. I promise you, you won't regret it."  
  
Phoebe, now a little mollified:  
  
"And what does that place look like?"  
  
Now smiling, Cole says:  
  
"If I told you now, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it."  
  
Phoebe is still curious and a bit suspicious, but she chooses to trust him.  
  
"Oh ok, but not for long… One never knows when I'll be needed here."  
  
Cole smiles conciliatorily:  
  
"Just for a few hours, no more…"  
  
"Now you got me curious; I'll be trying to guess all day." She says with a little laughter. He smiles impishly:  
  
"Don't even try, you'll never guess."  
  
"I've got to go now. I got to grab a bite before my classes."  
  
"What? No breakfast from the chef this morning?"  
  
"Food supplies problem, today. All the food seems to have been spoiled overnight."  
  
"That's strange."  
  
"Tell me about it. So do you want to come with me?"  
  
Cole smiles anew, while hugging her still:  
  
"I would, but I gotta prepare that surprise I talked to you about.  
  
I'll be looking forward to our date though."  
  
"Me too, trust me. At what time will you pick me up?"  
  
"How about 8 o'clock?"  
  
"That sounds perfect." She lifts herself up to give him another kiss and then goes upstairs to get ready.  
  
Cole watches her going more seriously. The moment that she's out of sight, he shimmers out.  
  
The house is now quiet, and in the background, strange noises are coming from the living room. Like little footsteps, running.  
  
Suddenly a crashing noise, then another resound… This startles Phoebe and she calls:  
  
"Cole?"  
  
Getting no answer, she comes out of her room and looks suspiciously around from the top of the stairs. Seeing nothing, she calls for Cole again but still gets no answer. Then she reflects that Kit might have made a mess, so she comes downstairs calling for her. As she enters the living room, she gasps. All the vases and the knickknacks that were on the shelves have been thrown on the floor. As if an earthquake has hit the room.  
  
"My god Kit, what got into you? Well," she adds with a deep sigh, "it looks like no breakfast for me." She then sets out to pick up the mess, albeit reluctantly.  
  
Later, when Prue and Piper return home, and as they pass the living room, Prue notices that something has changed there.  
  
"Well, what happened in here?"  
  
Piper questions distractedly:  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Look at the shelves, half the stuff is gone. And the rest is in really bad shape."  
  
Piper, surprised, takes a look in turn.  
  
"What did Phoebe do now?"  
  
Just then, Phoebe enters the house:  
  
"Ok, did I dream this or is somebody accusing me of something?"  
  
Piper turns to her:  
  
"Phoebe what happened to the living room?"  
  
"To be honest I haven't a clue. I tried to pick up the pieces the best I could but it was a disaster area. I think that Kit must have gotten scared somehow."  
  
Prue seems surprised:  
  
"Kit? She never did anything like that before."  
  
"Well I don't see what else it could be; nobody else was in the house besides me, and I was upstairs."  
  
Piper, teasing:  
  
"Oh and I was thinking maybe you and your boyfriend…"  
  
Phoebe, approaching her sister, just pretends to pinch her.  
  
Phoebe:  
  
"By the way, did you go to the market?"  
  
"Yes! The manager swore that his food was just fine. He said they control quality very carefully," Piper added dubiously.  
  
"So, what are we gonna do about the food?"  
  
I guess we'll just throw it away and start over."  
  
A loud commotion coming from the kitchen interrupts them:  
  
The sisters exclaim in unison:  
  
"What the?"  
  
They run to the kitchen to find the place worse than a disaster area. The food has been thrown out of the closets, the chairs toppled. Pipers' cooking apparatus is lying all over the floor, most of it broken.  
  
Prue is the first to talk:  
  
"Ok now, that's not Kit's work! What the hell is happening here?"  
  
Piper is closed to tears, while staring at the mess. What's more, the smell is even more horrendous than in the morning.  
  
The older sisters turn to Phoebe with inquisitive expressions:  
  
"Don't look at me, I haven't a clue."  
  
Phoebe is overseeing the disaster as well when, from the corner of her eyes, she catches a glimpse of something small and scurrying in the corner. It was so fast, it barely registered, but she still goes to investigate.  
  
Prue, seeing her sister seemingly looking for something, inquires:  
  
"Phoebe, what is it?"  
  
Phoebe just gestures her to stay silent and she advances slowly toward the corner, where an armoire has been toppled and rests on its side. Very silently she moves around the armoire, and there she sees what had caught her attention. Without a word, she signals for Piper to come closer.  
  
When Piper sees what Phoebe found, she almost let out a little scream of surprise, but Phoebe stops her imperatively by putting her hand up. Piper doesn't lose time afterward and she freezes the little intruder just as he is about to bolt.  
  
"What the heck is that thing?" Piper then questions.  
  
The thing in question is a diminutive little man with old fashion clothing and a top hat. Prue, who has come closer, picks that one up:  
  
"Well I'll be… I think it's a mythical leprechaun. What's it doing in our kitchen?"  
  
"I don't know, but I've got a feeling that it might have to do with the little problems we've been experiencing lately." Phoebe adds.  
  
"Agreed! Not very friendly are they?" Prue says then.  
  
"Well, they're supposed to be pranksters. And from the look of it their reputation is well deserved."  
  
Piper intervenes:  
  
"Sorry to interrupt you two but, what do we do about it?"  
  
"You're right, enough speculation, let's make him explain himself. If that's possible, of course…"  
  
Prue prepares just in case as Phoebe bends to pick up the little man. The moment she's got him in hands, Piper unfreezes him. He immediately tries to squirm his way out, but Phoebe holds him in a firm grip.  
  
"Hey you, stop that! We only wanna talk to you."  
  
The leprechaun says in a little scratchy voice:  
  
"If you want a pot of gold, you caught the wrong guy. That's all a big joke."  
  
Prue answers:  
  
"We don't want anything from you except to know why you're trying to destroy our house."  
  
Phoebe adds:  
  
"And also why you're trying to poison us?"  
  
The little guy watches them uncertainly, as if he wasn't certain whether to be scared or amused.  
  
"My name is Cashel and I'm looking for the Charmed Ones."  
  
He says this without any excuses.  
  
The girls all watch him very suspiciously.  
  
"What do you want with the Charmed Ones, assuming we'd know what you're talking about?" Prue asks at last.  
  
Cashel:  
  
"If you let me go, I'll tell you."  
  
Phoebe exclaims:  
  
"Not a chance, we've got enough cleaning to do to last us a lifetime, thanks to you. I won't risk you messing the house more."  
  
"Ok I promise I'll behave."  
  
"You still didn't tell us why you trashed the place?" Prue insisted.  
  
Cashel casually answers:  
  
"Oh that! Well it's in our nature you know. One can't go against one's own nature."  
  
Phoebe cringes at this, but says nothing.  
  
"Are there more of your kind here," Prue questions again.  
  
"Well my whole family is here. But don't expect them to show up. We don't like humans; they're so greedy and dangerous."  
  
The girls roll their eyes, but do not answer to that:  
  
"You still haven't told us why you're looking for Charmed Ones?"  
  
"We need them to send us back into our own realm. A trickster demon got us to follow him into this one and we got lost here. We've been looking for them like forever. Do you know where they are?"  
  
Prue is still not too sure about their little visitor:  
  
"Who told you about them?"  
  
"Well we kind of found a few witches along the way, and they pointed us in this direction. They were only too happy to send us on our way."  
  
"From the look of this place I can understand why." Piper uttered scornfully.  
  
Prue dismisses Piper's comment with an impatient gesture, and then she addresses the Leprechaun again:  
  
"How is it that you didn't just ask instead of doing all this mess in the first place?"  
  
Cashel, a bit sheepish:  
  
"You know. People tend to react badly in this realm when they see us. We're small and defenseless. We've got to hide."  
  
"If you ask me, discretion would be more efficient." Phoebe comments with the same scorn.  
  
Cashel makes her a face, but keeps quiet.  
  
"And what could the Charmed Ones do for you that those witches couldn't?"  
  
"You're kidding, right? They're the most powerful witches in the world. If anybody can help us, it's them."  
  
As the sisters look at each other, trying to make a decision, the little guy uses their distraction to escape Phoebe's grasp and run away as fast as lightning.  
  
Phoebe looks down at her hands dejectedly. Then she utters:  
  
"Ohm the little creep!"  
  
"No time for this. Let's find him and his family before they bring the house down."  
  
However, before they had time to start searching, they hear the sound of running footsteps all around them. Suddenly, they find themselves tackled to the floor.  
  
Cashel is laughing now:  
  
"Hey how does it feel?"  
  
Prue doesn't hesitate as she spots the leprechaun and throws him hard off of her, at the same time as the other little people who have arrived. Then she screams:  
  
"Piper!"  
  
The girl doesn't need to be told twice, as she freezes the lot of them before they can escape.  
  
Phoebe utters angrily:  
  
"Ok now, that's enough of this. Those little pests might want our help, but they certainly don't seem to qualify as innocents."  
  
"I agree that their method is rather unpleasant, but we should give them a chance. After all, being taken from ones home and thrown into a strange world might've made them more aggressive."  
  
"Me I'm not going to take any more abuse from them. Either they stop this, or I'll throw them out on their heads," Piper uttered irritably.  
  
"Ok let's try this again…"  
  
The three sisters take position, surrounding the little family, and Prue prepares to tk them again if necessary.  
  
"Ok Piper let them go."  
  
The moment they're unfrozen, they look up in intense surprise. Then Cashel says with sudden satisfaction:  
  
"Well, well I think we've finally found the ones we were looking for…"  
  
"That you have. But if you want our help, no more dirty tricks."  
  
"We promise," Cashel says, while looking at his companions. They all make signs of agreement and then he turns back toward Prue:  
  
"Ok! Will you help us now?"  
  
"I want nothing more than sending you back where you come from," Phoebe answers for them with a grimace. "But how to do it is another matter."  
  
Prue utters firmly:  
  
"I guess if our hosts are ready to behave, it's time to look it up in the book."  
  
"Scouts honor or something…" Cashel says then, lifting his hand awkwardly.  
  
Piper rolls her eyes:  
  
"Oh god!"  
  
"Whatever!" Prue dismisses. "The sooner we do it, the sooner they'll be on their way."  
  
They are about to go for the book when Phoebe gets another idea:  
  
"You know… maybe we don't need the book this time."  
  
Prue glances at her questioningly:  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You said you came from another realm," Phoebe asks the Leprechaun rather than answering her sister.  
  
"Yes that's it."  
  
Phoebe turns back to Prue with a timid smile:  
  
"Why don't I ask Cole to do it?"  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
Phoebe pursues:  
  
"Well, it would be much faster than us trying to find the way. And they'd be gone sooner…"  
  
Prue seems to think about this. Then:  
  
"All right…" she trails, "but how can you find him?"  
  
"Maybe I could just try calling him."  
  
Prue is still unsure, but she lets her sister try nonetheless.  
  
"Cole?" Phoebe tries again a bit louder: "COLE?"  
  
The leprechauns are watching them in wonderment:  
  
"Who's that Cole? And what, does he live in thin air?"  
  
Prue just dismisses him impatiently.  
  
After a few seconds, Cole shimmers in:  
  
"Phoebe, what is it?"  
  
She smiles at him, happy of her success and simply to see him.  
  
"We've got a little problem here. We were hoping that you could help us."  
  
The leprechauns gasp and cringe:  
  
"You called a demon to help us? What kind of good witches are you," Cashel asks in dismay.  
  
Cole turns to them, amused and irritated at the same time.  
  
"You called me to help these," he then asks Phoebe with a trace of disbelief in his voice.  
  
"Please, can you just like, send them home? We'd be very grateful.  
  
"I can understand why," he comments, as he surveys the disaster.  
  
"Well, I guess that I might help you. But, you guys better behave," he calls menacingly to the leprechauns.  
  
They squirm and step back in fear.  
  
"We're not going anywhere with him."  
  
Phoebe intervenes then:  
  
"You better if you ever want to go home. Besides, Cole's not evil anymore. You've got nothing to fear."  
  
The leprechauns stare at her as if she hit her head or something.  
  
Cole reinforces her comment by giving them his most charming smile. This doesn't seem to calm them much.  
  
Cashel then looks at all of them in turn and seems to make a decision:  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Yes, we're sure," she says in spite of her reservations. However, she keeps those to herself. After all, she had the experience once, and he had brought her back in one piece…  
  
Phoebe asks Cole again:  
  
"Can you transport them all at once?"  
  
"Yes they are so small, it's not a problem." Then, he starts toward the leprechauns, who are still cowering in fear.  
  
Cole, mocking:  
  
"Come on guys, I won't eat you…probably…"  
  
"Cole, not helping," Prue exclaims irritably.  
  
Cole replies with a sheepish smile:  
  
"Sorry, couldn't help it."  
  
He then turns to them:  
  
"Ok, let's hold hands, so to speak." They do as he said, and then he just picks up the first one by his coat. Then, turning to Phoebe:  
  
"We're still on for tonight?"  
  
"Yes, unless we're still picking up this mess by then."  
  
"Need some help?"  
  
Piper says:  
  
"Not that kind of help, no. We'll do it the old fashion way."  
  
"Suit yourself." Cole answers casually. He then turns to Phoebe with a sweet smile and just says:  
  
"Later…"  
  
Then, he shimmers out thankfully with all the little guys.  
  
Phoebe:  
  
"Now, that was easy enough," Phoebe tells the others.  
  
Prue and Piper watch her with dubious expressions.  
  
"What? He helped us, didn't he?"  
  
"Ok you're right, he did," Prue admits reluctantly. "What is it about tonight? Something special?"  
  
Phoebe replies, a tad on the defensive:  
  
"Well, he has something planned…"  
  
"Why do you look so guilty all of a sudden?" Piper questions with a hint of suspicion.  
  
Phoebe, feigning ignorance:  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I recognize the telltale signs. Every time something is not right, that's the way you look. You fooled us a few times before, but not anymore.  
  
Phoebe caves:  
  
"Ok, it's nothing so terrible. He wants to show me a special place..."  
  
"And?" Prue questions pointedly.  
  
"Well it's not exactly on this plane," she replies quickly.  
  
Piper and Prue exclaim together:  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
"You can't be serious," Piper pursues. "What if something happened to you? We couldn't even help you."  
  
Phoebe shows them irritation now:  
  
"When are you going to stop doubting him? You just admitted that he was helping, didn't you?"  
  
The other two glance at each other, still very worried.  
  
"Well whatever… I choose to believe in him and that's that," Phoebe says decidedly. "Now why don't we just put this discussion aside and repair this mess?"  
  
Prue and Piper agree reluctantly and they start working.  
  
Later that afternoon, Leo orbs in and looks horrified at seeing the mess.  
  
"What happened here?"  
  
Piper gives him a kiss and says:  
  
"It's a long story… let me tell you all about this later, but for now, a little assistance would be much appreciated."  
  
"Of course, but everything is ok isn't it?"  
  
Piper is puzzled by his insistence:  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
Leo seems to change his mind:  
  
"Nothing really… Just asking..."  
  
Piper doesn't seem convinced, but she's too busy to question him further.  
  
At 7:30, the house seems to have almost returned to normal.  
  
Phoebe turns to her sisters:  
  
"Well, do you think that you guys could finish without me? I really have to prepare for my date."  
  
"Phoebe, are you sure about this?"  
  
"Yes I am! And I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's only for a few hours, Prue. You've got nothing to worry about."  
  
"I just wish that I could be sure."  
  
Phoebe smiles reassuringly:  
  
"You can, I assure you." Then, she hugs her sister.  
  
Prue, with a little smile:  
  
"Ok scoot, go prepare!"  
  
Phoebe doesn't have to be told twice and she runs upstairs.  
  
Prue looks at Piper, who has been listening in to their conversation.  
  
They both have worried expressions but they say nothing.  
  
Leo comes in with a somewhat preoccupied expression:  
  
"Piper, I got to go."  
  
Piper gives him her full attention then:  
  
"Not again?"  
  
"Sorry but it's important. I don't have a choice. You'll tell me all about today later, won't you?"  
  
"Come back soon," Piper replies sadly.  
  
Leo kisses her and says:  
  
"As soon as I can… I promise."  
  
Then he orbs out without more explanations.  
  
"Is it just me, or does it feel as if something's wrong?"  
  
"What? You mean besides the fact that Leprechauns ransacked our house?"  
  
Piper continues distractedly:  
  
"I don't know. It's like I can sense that something's amiss but I can't put my finger on it."  
  
"Welcome to my world! I've been feeling like that every waking hours ever since we've learned of our true calling."  
  
"I know maybe I'm just being a little paranoiac. After all, we know that there's always something lurking. Why don't we finish this and go get some food. I'm sure it's nothing."  
  
Prue smiles at her sister but can't help looking up toward Phoebe's room with a disturbing sense of foreboding. She then shakes her head and returns to her chores.  
  
Phoebe comes downstairs in a daring gold lame dress. She just finished preparing and is now impatient to see Cole.  
  
As if on cue, the doorbell rings and Cole is there, ready to pick her up.  
  
"I thought that if I came the usual way, maybe your sisters would appreciate."  
  
Phoebe smiles at him:  
  
"Don't get on my sisters now. You know that they just wanna be sure I'm safe."  
  
Cole smiles at her:  
  
"You couldn't be safer." He pauses while admiring her, then says:  
  
"You look beautiful. But we're on a schedule so, shall we?"  
  
"Lead the way." Phoebe answers joyously.  
  
In the very spot he was the night before; the Zoltar is beating his feet impatiently. He's cursing the cold and the wait…  
  
Still, he continues looking about himself, wary of Belthazor's arrival. He knows that a few of his kind have already perished by the hand of the infamous demon, and he doesn't intend to be the next one.  
  
Finally, he hears the familiar sound of Belthazor shimmering in. But this one's not alone.  
  
"What is she doing here?" The Zoltar questions angrily.  
  
To which Phoebe echoes with serious irritation in her voice.  
  
"What are we doing here, Cole?"  
  
She's looking at him with such surprise and horror that Cole turns away from her.  
  
Instead, he addresses the Zoltar:  
  
"As I promised, here is what the source wanted. Now, did you make the arrangements?"  
  
The Zoltar still eyes Phoebe suspiciously, but he answers:  
  
"Yes, he has agreed to listen. You're little gift impressed him."  
  
"What little gift?" Phoebe questions angrily.  
  
Cole ignores her and reverts to his demon form.  
  
He then looks at her menacingly and takes her arm rudely:  
  
"In that case, what are we waiting for?"  
  
Phoebe looks like she is going to try escaping, but before she could do anything, they shimmer out again. Right after this, the Zoltar blinks himself out.  
  
They find themselves in a large room that might as well be a dungeon. It is poorly lit with torches. In the background, Phoebe can hear screams of pain and despair. At first, they seem to be alone in the room, but soon, as her eyesight acclimatizes to the semi-darkness, she realizes that they are not alone.  
  
Hooded figures lurk at the fringe of the light circle they stand in.  
  
She is too shocked to react, but she notices that Belthazor seems anxious. This doesn't reassure her in the least.  
  
He rudely pushes her ahead of him, toward a darker corner of the room. And there she finally sees a large figure. All she can distinguish under the hood are 2 red eyes watching her intensely.  
  
When he finally talks, her blood freezes.  
  
"Well done Belthazor," the Source says, "I knew that you'd come to your senses. And what a prize you brought me!"  
  
Belthazor just gives something that resembles a smile in response. But he doesn't say anything yet.  
  
The Source's voice becomes slightly threatening:  
  
"I should punish you anyway for your betrayal…"  
  
He pauses…  
  
"But instead, I will give you what you wanted. You did me an enormous favor, if late."  
  
Belthazor now boasts with more confidence:  
  
"I want to be paid now. No more delays. This bargain already cost me way too much."  
  
The Source looks at him with a fear inspiring expression, but Belthazor sustains his stare without waving.  
  
A rough laughter comes out of the dark figure.  
  
"Now I recognize my favorite Demon. So be it."  
  
The Source gestures to three more hooded figures in the background. They approach Belthazor and, all at once, lay hands toward him. A shadow seems to separate itself from the demon. It walks away from him, and as much as Phoebe can see of it, it seems fearful.  
  
The Triad for it is they, just close in on the shadow and it seems to become part of the three of them at once. Then it vanishes, absorbed in their shadows.  
  
The Source addresses Belthazor again:  
  
"You got what you wished for, as I have. You're free."  
  
Belthazor then simply pushes Phoebe toward the source and, without another look, he shimmers out.  
  
An abject fear courses through Phoebe's veins as the Source comes closer. She can see a grimace wanting itself a smile on his shadowed figure.  
  
"Now it's between you and me little girl…"  
  
At the manor, Piper and Prue just finished putting away the groceries and are preparing a light supper for themselves. They are exhausted from the very eventful day, but satisfied that the house at least resemble what it was before the accursed Leprechauns came.  
  
As they are about to sit for supper, they are surprised by Cole, shimmering in alone.  
  
They both look at him in surprise first, then suspiciously.  
  
"Where is Phoebe," Prue questions. "Why isn't she with you?"  
  
Oddly, Cole seems to panic.  
  
"She should be here by now," he says nervously.  
  
What are you talking about?"  
  
But before he can answer, the chiming noise of orbing is heard and Leo arrives, bringing Phoebe with him.  
  
An intense relief shows on Cole's expression. But it is short lived as Phoebe slaps him across the face.  
  
"How could you ask him to do that?"  
  
Before he can answer, Leo intervenes:  
  
"Phoebe I told you, it was my decision and the Elder's.  
  
It was necessary."  
  
Phoebe looks at him as if he has gone insane.  
  
Prue, unable to contain herself anymore just interjects:  
  
"Will somebody explain what is the matter here?"  
  
Leo gives a knowing look at Cole, but this one simply gestures him to answer this one.  
  
Leo begins:  
  
"Well, the Elders have recently become aware that Cole was not as free as we all thought he was… including him." He pauses…  
  
"We thought that the Triad was dead, but apparently they have more lives than a cat."  
  
Phoebe, unsure now:  
  
"What does it have to do with anything?"  
  
Leo continues patiently:  
  
"Let me get to this. We have made an arrangement with Cole here. One that will profit all of us… But in order to be of any use to us, he had to be free of the triad. So in a... Whitelighter to demon talk, so to speak, Cole told me what it was he wanted as a reward for delivering you to the source: his freedom…"  
  
Prue is becoming impatient:  
  
"Again, what does it have to do with Phoebe?"  
  
Leo a little more impatiently:  
  
"I'm coming to this. For a while already, a spy sent by the Triad has shadowed Cole. We found out by accident and told him so. He also told us that only the Triad could remove the spy from his side. Either by their death, which obviously didn't work out…  
  
Or if they took it off themselves…So we pulled a little sting on the Source and them."  
  
The sisters just look at the men with mouths opened.  
  
Leo continues:  
  
"I'm sorry for lying to all of you, but we couldn't risk the spy finding out. Only when he was with me did the spy stay away because he was fearful of being found out."  
  
Phoebe looks at Cole with serious irritation:  
  
"You mean that thing was with us all the time?"  
  
Cole averts his eyes, then:  
  
"I'm sorry, there was no way for me to tell you. You'd have acted self- consciously and alerted the Source to our plan."  
  
Prue intervenes angrily:  
  
"You mean… you brought our sister to the Source?"  
  
Cole vehemently denies this:  
  
"I would never risk Phoebe's life like this."  
  
Prue stares at him in confusion:  
  
"What then?"  
  
Leo demonstrates instead. In a flash, two Phoebe are in the room.  
  
Like identical twins.  
  
Phoebe/Leo says:  
  
"I went down there with him, and The Source bought it hook line and sinker," he smiles.  
  
"But how…" Phoebe questions.  
  
"How did I get out," Leo finishes for her. "The Elders were watching carefully, and the moment they were sure that Cole was free of the spy; they came in to save me in extremis. I'd hate to be one of the people with the Source right now."  
  
Prue was still unsure about the whole thing:  
  
"But why would the Elders want to help him," she indicates Cole with some contempt.  
  
Cole picks that one up:  
  
"It wasn't for free. As Leo told you, I made a bargain with them and that one I intend to keep," Cole adds for Leo's benefit, as well as the sisters. "Now that I am truly free of their influence, I will be able to travel there, and spy for you."  
  
Piper, who has stayed silent until now approaches Phoebe/Leo and:  
  
"Would you please get back to my husband's form now?"  
  
Leo obliges.  
  
Cole tries a little humor to clear the air:  
  
"I must admit you made a much better looking woman than I thought possible," he smiles jokingly.  
  
Leo, half joking:  
  
"I must say your acting was outstanding. If I'd not known better, I'd have written you off as the traitor you were playing."  
  
Cole keeps smiling:  
  
"I know where I belong, trust me."  
  
"I do now," this one replies as he shakes his hand.  
  
Phoebe looks at both of them in turn and for a moment she seems about to burst in anger. But then, she just adds:  
  
"Ok for this time, I'll let it pass… but don't ever hide something like this from me again."  
  
Cole turns to her with a soft smile:  
  
"Scouts honor," he says as he lifts his fingers in the universal sign.  
  
She just cuddles to him, already forgetting all about this.  
  
"There's just one more thing. You still owe me a night out. I don't wanna have prepared for nothing."  
  
"Ask and ye shall receive…" Cole answers with a widening smile.  
  
Then, they shimmer out right away.  
  
Prue and Piper start and turn to Leo askance:  
  
"Should we be worried?"  
  
"No, not at all," Leo says with a smile. 


End file.
